Update: Three bike riders hit by bus on Camp Pendleton, one killed

Confirmation is just coming in that a bicyclist has died as a result of injuries in a crash at Camp Pendleton yesterday.

I had received an email about the collision earlier this afternoon; however, I was unable to confirm the death until now.

According to the San Diego Union Tribune, three cyclists, identified only as civilians, were hit by a bus while riding through the Marine base; the paper uses the word “slammed” to describe the impact. The collision occurred around 1 pm on Stuart Mesa Road near Cook Crossing.

The paper reports that two of the riders were transported by ambulance, with the third flown out by helicopter.

Unfortunately, the LA Times writes that one of the riders has died, confirming the report in the email; according to the Times, one of the surviving riders remains in critical condition, while the third is listed as serious.

The Times reports the bus belonged to the North County Transit District.

This is the 57th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 7th in San Diego County; that compares with 10 in the county this time last year.

Update: Three days later, there has still been no follow-up from the press on this tragedy, and no confirmation from the San Diego coroner’s office. However, the name of the victim has become common knowledge in the San Diego cycling community, identifying him as Udo Heinz.

Some of the comments below are from people who knew him, and worth reading to get a feeling for the kind of man he was. If anyone wants to provide more information about Heinz, or how the collision happened, let me know; you can find my email on the About page.

And a quick note to commenters. My policy is to allow any discussion that is courteous, avoids personal attacks and does not disrespect fallen riders. At this time, we have no idea how this collision occurred or who was at fault. So if you feel a need to criticize bike riders, for whatever reason, find another post to leave your comments. This is not the place for it.

Update 2: If you haven’t read the comments below, please do. It’s obvious that Udo Heinz was well-loved, not just a cyclist, but as a father and friend, as this column on Mountain Bike Review makes clear; thanks to Lois for the heads-up.

Heinz, a 43-year old resident of Encinitas, was riding south on Stuart Mesa Road through Camp Pendleton with two other riders around 1 pm Sunday when a North County Transit District bus traveling in the same direction attempted to pass. The bus went into the northbound lane to pass the three riders, then cut back and hit them; the paper does not say if there was oncoming traffic or some other reason the bus came back into the lane before clearing the cyclists.

There were roughly a dozen passengers on the bus who may be able to help explain what happened, and there should be video from the bus itself.

According to the U-T story, one of the other riders, 62-year old John Edwards, suffered what was described as “serious permanent injuries.” The third rider was hospitalized, but no further information was available.

Another cyclist death this time due to a NCTD bus driver. I don’t know how many times I have been passed within inches by one of these idiots when there has been more then enough room to move left. So angry right now!!!

I am very sadden by this as well and my sympathies go out to the victims and their families but to call the NCT bus drivers idiots is very unfair! And no I am not a transit driver but have relied on public transporation from time to time!!

Big heart you got there, Rick. You have absolutely no idea how this collision occurred, but you automatically blame the victims. And every other bike rider, including those who ride by the letter of the law.

Rick, this is not the place to hate on bike riders. You are entitled to your opinion, but respect the dead. When and if news comes out we can discuss who was at fault. But right now, you’re just displaying your own biases. One more comment of this type and you will be permanently blocked from this site.

Block me I want you guys to sit at a light and see how many run the lights I’m making documentary of on this and you will see that not only novice run lights but so call professionals bikers do the same and break many laws which I’ll be taking to the state, to be reviewed by the transportation commissioner

Please do take your case to the transportation commission. But be sure to include film of all those drivers who speed, fail to signal, fail to observe right-of-way, fail to pass safely, and roll through stop signs and red lights without stopping.

I’m sure glad you haven’t lost your spouse as I have. Post your driving record to show us you have never had a ticket. Cyclist are human just like the car drivers and we do break laws just like the car drivers. Better look in the mirror before judging others. Also, learn how to use grammar check. Your posts will be taken more seriously if you don’t use run-on sentences.

My condolences to the family of Mr. Heinz, this is a terrible loss, and Rick’s comments are inappropriate.

Unfortunately, many drivers share Rick’s stereotypes of cyclists as inconsiderate citizens who blow through red lights and stop signs. The problem is that they do not notice all of us that are riding carefully and legally.

Fighting these incorrect stereotypes will require ALL of us to be extra careful and courteous – and to remind our fellow cyclists to do the same.

Rick is an a–hole. I’m a neighbor of Udo’s and have known him for a number of years. He was a responsible rider and a good guy. I too have been buzzed by those buses. Leave your full name and address on your posts, you chickens–it.

Sorry for my previous entry, guys. I’ve been a cyclist for 30+ years and have been hit by cars 4 times, once breaking my neck. The sentiments expressed by people like Rick cause me to loosen my grip on my temper. I’m just sorry I didn’t know Udo better than I did. He deserved 40 or more years of life with his wife and children.

It is so inappropriate for you to talk about the amazing man, husband and father that lost his life the way you are speaking of him. Have your opinions, but have enough sensitivity to keep your cruel words off public forums. If his wife saw your words she would be devastated. And FYI, the video shows the driver was 100% at fault. Just so you know.

Sadly the rider killed was my good friend. He is a great man, husband and father. He has given so much to the community I want only to say that this breaks my heart to have this wonderful person taken away and these are experienced bicyclists so I can’t help but think the bus had a lot to do with this great man no longer here to continue to make this world a better place. Some laws must be set in place for the safety of all road users. A tragedy this is and perhaps could have been prevented with safer roads and laws to make it more so. My heart is heavy with his loss.

He was my best friend, too. I know him since I was 15 years. I stayed at his home in Encinitas with his family in March for two weeks and we did a number of bike tours together. He was an extremely cautious rider and several times told me to ride more on the right side. I met him two weeks ago here in Dusseldorf, Germany, where I am living, when he was on vacation here with his family. We had a wonderful grill dinner in the garden on the last day I saw him alive. I miss him so much and will always remember him as wonderful person and good friend. I am so sorry for his wife, kids and his sister.

I am a close friend of the victim and have ridden thousands of miles with the family over the last 10+ years. This is a very tragic loss. There are always a few people who ruin it for the many. I can tell you, however, that he was a very vigilant rider who observed all the rules. It upsets me that someone has already passed judgment. Shame on you!

Please be careful EVERYONE! Observe the rules, pay attention, slow down and care for others.

Thank you for taking the time to follow this story. As a fellow cyclist I realize how much we take our lives in our hands each time we get on the road to partake in an activity we love. Even the most cautious rider can fall victim to circumstances beyond control. My heart breaks for yet another life lost, for the family and friends and the cycling community.

It is frustrating that there is not more news even here in San Diego with updates on what happened, the victims or anything else. I wish the media would give stories like this more priority.

Udo hired me into his company 5 and a half years ago. He was one of the two best managers I ever had the privilege to work for. When he moved up the corporate ladder I no longer reported to him, but we remained friends. I last spoke to him a couple of weeks ago when we were both in Germany, but unfortunately too far apart to meet in person. Our plans to get together in SoCal sadly now cannot happen. I miss you Udo, Rest in Peace my friend.

Dear David:
In Brazil, we knew him in our subsidiary in Brazil and were so sorry about him because he was a great person. He was our global boss and we would meet in Hungary to attend to a Global Meeting P.04.
He was a kind of person who use to obey all the rules and I am sure that he should have following the traffic laws when he was sadly taken away from his life.
Too so sad, we have been so shocked with this news.
Our sincere condolences to his family.

This tragedy is shocking & sad all the way around. The anger and bias from the first writer is only selfish. I am sure the bus driver will live with a horrific memory of what happened as he hit 3 cyclists. It’s not a blame game. It’s a wake up call to ask how can we eliminate the chances of this happening again? Udo is a dear friend who is one of five wheels I trust to ride 3 inches behind when pace lining at 30mph. Camp Pendleton is known to be a safe haven for cycling because of the provided bike shoulder and military standards of following rules. Respect is shown from both parties. The marines greet us friendly at the gate allowing us to ride and conservatively I’d say 98% of the cyclists abide by the laws and rules. In Italy on narrow winding roads cars politely “honk” to say hello and good for you & exercising! In Camp Pendleton huge tanks and drivers “honk” to notify a cyclist if they want to pass and wait maybe 20 seconds to do the pass when the road is straight or they can safely pull out across the center line. Our community needs to come together. We need to figure out stricter laws and rules for sharing the roads. We live in paradise and everyone has the right to enjoy it. Cell phones have had many new laws put into place and still you see many people texting or talking without a headset/hands free. Maybe the death of Udo will form a new law (Udo’s Law) and movement to help bridge this gap so everyone can share the roads more safely. May God help guide and use people to change the hearts of all to make cycling safer.

Udo was a business colleague; we have worked together on different topics for 10 or 15 years, and was always smiling, helpful, just a great guy. If someone starts a fund to help support his kids, please post it.

Rick, the comments you made are reprehensible. I love a good debate but only when my opponents are well-informed. The only thing more astonishing than your ignorance is the wonder at how people like you make it through life. It truly baffles me.

I am closely related to one of the survivors. I personally have spoken to two of the witnesses, one of whom watched the entire incident from ON BOARD THE BUS. I have also spoken at length with the reporting agent at Naval Criminal Investigation Service and two management-level officials from NCTD. I have seen clear, high-resolution photos of the incident that were taken while the emergency personnel were on-scene tending to the victims. I have not seen the video from the bus but I was told it does exist. As much as I want to share all of the information I have, this is a criminal investigation and I want to prevent the case from becoming skewed in either direction.

When the facts of this case come out, I hope Rick will include them his “documentary”, even if they contradict his arguments. Something tells me though, that his report will end up as nothing more than thinly-veiled propaganda. I did not know Udo but my heart broke when I learned that he had passed away. My sincerest condolences to his family and friends. To the surviving victims, I’m still praying for you.

Thank you. This is the reason I left Rick’s comments on here, to provide more rational people with the opportunity for a reasoned response.

I am very sorry your relative had to go through this, and offer my best wishes that both surviving victims make a fast and full recovery.

I respect your choice not to reveal any information at this time, but I hope you’ll share what you can when you can so we can get a better understanding just what happened in this tragedy. And hopefully, prevent it from happening again to someone else.

Well Informed; Please see my previous links and Reviews for confirmation of my motivation in writing; or write Ted directly.

As a relative of a survivor; would you please confirm the existence of a rear light on the last bike, the model, and if it was charged? Was Udo the last rider? I have reviewed the (very poor quality pics) and can find no evidence of a light operating?… but the may be the timing of the pics or quality.

IF so, this is the first hit from behind fatality I’ve found in a year and a half long search;;; (I was a near fatality last June in Corona del Mar) …where the rider had Ultra Bright LED lights flashing at the time of the accident. At least three such lights have been repeatedly recommended (for depth perception and redundancy);;; but that being said, again, no accidents have been recorded with even a single Ultra Bright light flashing;;;

This accident did not follow any ‘normal’ protocol however. Most all accidents occur in the early morning or late afternoon, not at 1PM…

This leads to the consideration, that the “accident” was nothing of the kind, but rather a deliberate action, and that man-slaughter charges will need to be filed.

I would greatly appreciate your feedback to the mfg of the rear light, and it’s condition, if one existed.

Just one hint. If the bus driver was an Egyptian, he was most probably a muslim. The accident happend on the last to days of Ramadan, the fasting month. If the bus driver was fasting it would mean that he didn’t eat, drink or smoke since sunrise. Normally muslims can handle this very good, but for sure everybody can get tired, less concentrated etc. during fasting. Maybe somebody should follow that up. I am familywise related with Udo and hope the source for this tragic accident can be found. In addition I am living in a country with a majority of muslims (my wife is a muslim too), and know what I am talking about.

Thanks for the update and the intelligent insight, Well Informed. I too was a friend of Udo, his wife and his kids. Its a huge loss to their family, to our cycling team (Udo was an officer) and to the cycling community.

I turned the pedals with Udo for many years, enjoyed amazing coffee together and the world will not be the same without him. I recently moved back to SD from Colorado and was so looking forward to riding alongside Udo. His name will be on my bike from now on.

I also hope the other two cyclists can return to normal healthy lives and heal quickly.

Bikinginla your forum is so appreciated. Our families were as close as you can be. Filled with love for all. We’ve shared thanksgivings together, got dogs together and our wives were pregnant together. We’ve ridden many miles on and off the road. Last month we rented houses next to each other in Utah so our families could spend time together.

What kind of person was Udo? A hard working family man. He rarely watched TV. He lived under his means. When he bought his house he remodeled the entire thing by himself. Every floor, wall and an entire kitchen. He would take work calls late at night and rarely miss a day even when sick. When triathlons were in town you could guarantee he’d be there volunteering and getting up at 3 am to set up cones for the race.

He had a passion for cycling. Yet, he put his family first often riding alone in the afternoon so his wife could ride with her friends or group. He worked tirelessly with her to become the multi year California state time trial champion. He loved his kids. Introducing his son to cross racing his 9 year old was often on the podium with the older men. He was the most perfect cyclist I’ve ever ridden with. Completely smooth steady and strong. As my wife said, a rare person you felt comfortable with at 30 mph. I’ve ridden tens of thousands of miles yet his handling skills were still superior to mine.

To Rick. We all a share the road. Runners in the bike lane on the 101, surfers crossing the street at swamis, kids playing in the street and pedestrians who casually cross the street on cell phones. We all have a responsibility to look after each other. We are truly blessed to be able to live in this amazing place and if you don’t like cyclist you chose the wrong state in which to live. The statistics don’t lie. 10 deaths in the nation vs 57 in so cal? I doubt the cycling populatin has increased by over 500% in a year. Something has changed with drivers. I’ve been on a car hood, knocked off my bike, been hit and run, ended up with my bike under a truck and a crazy man telling me he was going to kill me. ALL while riding legally.

And lastly, our friendship with the Heinz’s will continue forever. A reflection of how we met. Our great friend Jill introduced our wives after meeting Udo more than a decade ago. How did they meet? She was riding her bike through Elfin Forest and noticed a rider sprawled on the ground. It was Udo who had been hit and the driver didn’t even stop.

Thank you, Scott. Both for the kind words, and for sharing your friendship with Udo with us.

One of the great tragedies when any rider dies is that so many of us morn someone we don’t know. You’ve helped us understand who Udo was, not the mere details on his resume, but who he was as a human being.

Every fallen rider deserves to be remembered. You’ve helped ensure that your friend will be, even by those who’ve never met him.

The first time I was riding with Udo, was when we both still went to school in Idar-Oberstein. He’s on old friend from an neighboring village. We went to the same school, lived together during college time and after I joined the work force, I introduced him to California to start his very successful professional career. He made me join the first triathlon in the 80s, training camps in Spain and riding together the Beast in St. Croix in the 90’s. We have also worked together in CA for a few years. He was an excellent rider, and if someone was cautious at any given time: It was Udo.
I could not believe it when I heard it – and still can’t. Lots of very nice memories that I never will forget.
Diana’s and my deepest condolences to Antje, his two kids and his sister.
Andreas

As part of our club (Ranchos Cycling), Udo created a cyclocross race which takes place in November at Lake Hodges. We are working with the title sponsor to rename the event Udo’s Cyclocross race or something of the sort.
We are also organizing a memorial ride and there is a Heinz Memorial Foundation in the works. I’ll post updates here and the Ranchos Cycling FB site to this including event dates and links as we get more organized.
Thanks everyone for your support and kind words. It helps us all with the healing.

Ranchoman: Thanks for the posting. There are several people all over the country that worked with Udo in equipment safety, and would be interested in contributing. I will provide information to the entire group when you post it, as well as during a f-t-f meeting in late October. The small gesture of contributing would help me, and others, to feel a little better and do some good at the same time.

So sad this news.
I knew Heinz two years ago when he got to our company in Brazil, he was a great person.
Unfortunately, we have lost a great friend.
We give our condolences and our respect to his family.
We are so sad about him.

Udo was there for my first cyclocross lesson at Lake Hodges and more than a handful of lessons in defeat on race courses around Southern California. He was a class act on and off the bike: a gentleman, an advocate of competitive and family cycling, and an affable friend who was always keen to catch-up when paths crossed. He will be missed.

I didn’t know Udo but likely crossed paths with him through Pendleton many times over the years, tragic! Word of a criminal investigation does not surprise me, with thousand of mile through the base I can honestly and unfortunately say that the only close calls I have experienced have been with NCTD buses. On one occasion I was able to catch up to the bus after being passed intentionally within inches, I asked the lady if she was trying to kill someone her reply, “you are supposed to ride single file”- I was stunned, we were riding single file well off the line. This lady is evil!

I just heard that one of the three riders is Jolten Johnny Edwards. I have known, ridden and raced with him as both teammate and adversary for years. I am so sorry to hear that he was involved in such a horrible incident. NCTD bus drivers seem to come from the same mold. I am going to follow this until all the details come out.

We have been neighbors of the Heinz family for over nine years.
No one could ask for better neighbors. They had us over for many of their gourmet dinners and Udo and I shared tools and I often helped him with his bicycle projects. Their children and dog would hang out in our garage.

When we heard what happened we were shocked and filled with sadness and disbelief. It was as if a family member had been lost. Maybe worse, because Udo always had a smile, excelled in everything he did from his career to raising his family.

We had seen Udo the Friday evening before the accident and he showed us photos of his kids while in Germany. The last thing he said as he left was “I miss my family”.

The world has been diminished significantly by his loss.
It is my hope that people wake up and realize the fragility of life and show the courtesy deserved by those who share the road.

I ride this route frequently so even though we hadn’t met we were family.

I would like to commend Well Informed for his comments. With so many issues like this being “tried in the press”, and in public forums, it is good to stand back and not jump in and spout off with uninformed comments. When I first heard about this last week there were many things that ran through my head. Was the bus driver being unsafe/belligerent? Did the cyclists try to pass the bus on the right? I kept them to myself until I could know more.

I started cycling seriously about seven years, and ninety pounds ago. Back in my newbie days I often threw my bike on the bus rack. I know from experience that blaming the motorists, and bus drivers, out of hand, as many cyclists are prone to do is wrong, just as people like Rick blaming the existence of adults on bikes as the root of all evil is. The drivers I encountered were all friendly and courteous, with only one exception over the last several years.

It is also my experience that civilians who ride through Camp Pendleton are, on average, more skilled and knowledgeable than average. This is not an easy ride that draws casual riders.

I do hope that when all the information becomes public that this becomes a teachable moment for all, (Except Rick, who is one of the unteachable)

Richard Duquette, the attorney for one of the victims, has posted a detailed report and accident claim, including photos of the accident location, and still shots from the bus video. Contrary to NCTD claims, the impact zone was on the front of the bus, indicating the driver NEVER moved over to avoid the riders.http://www.911law.com/documents/Pretrial-disclosure-disclaimer_Redacted.pdf

There are no words to express the intense pain being felt by the entire cycling community, not wanting to think/consider what his family must be suffering… a horrible horrible tragedy. He must have been a truly exception human being from everything being written; same for the two other surviving victims.

For cyclists; There is a hope, and a viable solution, to preventing further bloodshed.

note; I have ridden through Pendleton roughly a dozen and a half times, more or less… and know the road fairly well. My son lived in Encinitas, and also raced for Rancho… we are connected.

The statistics of hit from behind fatality accidents is horrifying….outnumbering all other fatality accidents almost 3-1.

Here is the hope I spoke of. Not a single accident has been recorded or discovered where the rider had charged Ultra Bright LED rear lights Flashing at the time of the accident. Not one. There have been roughly 30,000 fatality cycling accidents in the USA the past 10 years… and yet, not one has been reported with Ultra Bright flashing LED lights on… The question is simple: Is your life, health, family, business, and future worth the investment in good lights?… and the time each week to keep them charged up?

There are numerous physiological, bio-chemical, humanity/soul, and survival instinct reasons why drivers do see and avoid riders with flashing Red/White lights; especially when the best lights can be seen from over 1/4 mile away-in the brightest daytime conditions. Please note that not one of the three destroyed bicycles had any lights. In statistics, ‘coincidence’ does not exist.

I am NOT making ANY excuse for the driver, in Any way shape or form… I am merely stating the facts, and the only viable, affordable, effective solution we currently have to avoid the horror. I am not a light mfg or vendor. I was a near fatality survivor last year in Corona del Mar. I now ride with at least three Ultra Bright lights on the back, (one helmet and two on bike) and two up front.

very good info! I appreciate it. I rarely turn on my rear lights during the day thinking it won’t do any good. Now I will! Could you share which lights you use? email me at misscarter430 [at] hotmail [dot]com. Someone in LA had a rear light that looked like a car’s rear light, but he was going so fast, I couldn’t catch up to him to ask him.

However, it should be noted that Edwards did have flashing red lights on his bike at the time of the collision. We don’t know how bright they were, but as an experienced cyclist on a high-end bike who chose to use daytime lights, I’d suspect he’d make sure they were bright enough to be seen.

My friend Steve was the 3rd rider in this incident. I’m desperately trying to find out his status. From the legal document I gather he was the lead rider. My prayers go family and friends of the cyclists.

[…] rider Udo Heinz lost his life in the same collision when a North County Transit District bus rear-ended three cyclists who were riding single-file on the right side of the roadway, exactly where and how they should […]